Hypodermic needle guard



8, 1938. L. EISELE 27lw123 HYPODERMIC NEEDLE GUARD Filed April 9, 1957 Loam Elam/E INVENTOR.

wag/AW A TTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES ATENT 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a guard or holder for hypodermic needles.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a guard for a hypodermic needle which will 5 prevent injury to. the canula or point during shipping, handling, sterilizing and the like.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a hypodermic needle guard which will act as a gauge to indicate the length of the canula of the 10 hypodermic needle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hypodermic needle guard which may be easily attached to and detached from the hypodermic needle even with wet or gloved hands.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a hypodermic needle guard of this type means for facilitating the removal and subsequent handling of the usual looped wire commonly used to protect the bore of the canula.

Another object of my invention is to provide in a hypodermic needle guard means for protecting from injury the looped wire commonly used to protect the canula bore from damage, and also for preventing accidental removal of said wire therefrom.

A further object of this invention is to provide a hypodermic needle guard of the type described which is very simple and easily made, being formed of a single strip of metal or other suitable material, which has no movable or complicated parts, which is strong and durable and not likely to get out of order.

The means by which I accomplish the above and other objects which will later be apparent :37, are best understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hypodermic needle guard constructed according to my invention, shown attached to a hypodermic needle of the usual type, having a stylet formed with a solid head contained therein,

Figure 2 is an end view of the same looking from the canula end of the needle,

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section of same taken along its longitudinal medial axis,

Figure 4 is an end view of the same taken from the end opposite to that of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a plan view of the same,

Figure 6 is a side elevation of an optional form of my invention shown attached to an ordinary hypodermic needle containing a wire loop for protecting the bore of the canula,

Figure 7 is an end view of the same taken from 5 the end opposite the canula, and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a preferred form of my invention.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawing and to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 in particular, the numeral l0 denotes the hub of a conventional hypodermic needle having a tapered internal bore H and a circumferential groove l2. A sharpened canula or needle I3 is affixed in one end of hub l0 and communicates with the tapered bore 1 l. A wire or stylet l4 passes through i the bore of the canula to protect it when the needle is not in use. The wire M is provided with a handle plug I5 attached to one end thereof, said .plug having a tapered portion l5a adapted to fit into and to close the tapered bore H, and adapted to be used as a handle for inserting, removing and handling the wire M. The parts thus far described form no part of this invention but constitute a conventional type of hypodermic needle and accessory parts with which the device of the present invention is designed to be used.

The hypodermic needle guard of the present invention comprises a relatively narrow, fiat, rectangular base plate l5 having one end I! turned up at right angles to the plane of its surface. This upturned end portion serves to guard and protect the stylet handle l5 from injury by contact with external objects and also prevents wire M or handle l5 from falling or being accidentally withdrawn from. the needle.

Two tabs or fingers l8 are formed integrally with the base plate I6 and are turned upwardly from substantially the center of the two longest edges of the base plate opposite each other, and the upper ends I9 of said tabs are bent slightly toward each other thus adapting them to grip the hub 10 of the hypodermic needle in the circumferential groove 12, the hub lying along the upper surface of the base plate It.

The base plate It has joined thereto, by means of the integrally formed connecting portion 20 which forms an obtuse angle with the base plate I6, a trough or groove portion 2|, formed integrally with the base plate 16, and connecting portion at, and having a V-shaped cross section as shown clearly in Figure 2. a

The longitudinal axis of the trough portion 2| is parallel to the surface of the base plate is and to the longitudinal axis thereof and is so spaced therefrom that when a conventional hypodermic needle is so placed in the device that the hub 10 rests on base plate IS with tabs I8 and the bent end portions I9 thereof engaging and gripping the hub NJ at the circumferential groove l2, the

canula l3 will lie wholly within said trough portion, thus protecting canula l3 from contact with external objects. The two inner surfaces of the trough portion 2| may, if desired, be inscribed with suitable indicia such as makers or owners names, trademarks etc., or may have suitable scales laid off thereupon for indicating the length of the canula of the needle, such as for example those shown in Figure 5, where one face carries an English and the other face a metric scale. Similarly the upper and lower face of base plate I6 may be inscribed or stamped as desired.

Figures 6 and 7 show an alternate or optional form of my invention. The hypodermic needle hub Illa carries a looped wire Ma, instead of the wire and plug or handle previously described. In this form of my invention the upwardly turned end Ila is narrowed toward its base as shown in Figure '7. This upwardly turned end lid is made small enough to pass through the loop Ma and may thus be used as a hook or handle to facilitate removing the looped wire from the needle and in subsequently handling or reinserting said wire, it being understood that the needle is removed from the guard during this operation. The narrowed neck portion of the upturned end Ha is for the purpose of preventing the wire loop I la from accidentally becoming disengaged therefrom. It is, of course, understood that either of the upturned tabs I8 may be used as above describedto remove and handle the looped wire.

The operation of inserting the needle into the device consists in placing the hub in position so that the ends IQ of tabs l8 lie in groove l2 and the canula lies along the trough portion 2|. Slight pressure of the hub will then spring the tabs l8 apart sufiiciently to allow the hub 10 to pass between them until it lies upon base plate H6. The inherent elasticity or springiness of tabs l8 will cause them to grip the hub and retain it in this position. To remove, the hub is gripped between thumb and forefinger and pulled upward, meanwhile holding the guard in the other hand. The tabs I8 spring apart and allow the hub to pass out between them.

While I have here shown and described certain preferred forms of my invention it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that certain changes may be made in the details of construction, and I therefore do not wish to be limited by the actual construction shown except insofar as I am limited by the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A hypodermic needle guard of narrow rectangular form comprising a base plate, integrally formed needle engaging tabs projecting at right angles to said base plate from opposite edges thereof, and end tab projecting at right angles to said base plate from one end thereof, and an integrally formed trough portion forming an extension of said base plate spaced from and parallel thereto.

2. A hypodermic needle guard of one-piece construction comprising a base plate portion, a plurality of tabs projecting at right angles to said base plate portion from the edges thereof, an upwardly and outwardly slanting connecting portion forming an extension of said base plate portion, and a trough portion forming a continuation of said connecting portion and lying parallel to said base plate portion.

3.'A hypodermic needle guard of narrow rectangular form comprising a base plate, integrally formed needle engaging tabs projecting at right angles to said base plate from opposite edges thereof, an end tab projecting at right angles to said base plate from one end thereof, and an integrally formed trough portion forming an extension of said base plate spaced from and parallel thereto, said trough portion carrying mensuration indicia on its inner surface.

' 4. A hypodermic needle guard of one-piece construction comprising a base plate portion, a

plurality of tabs projecting at right angles to said base plate portion from the edges thereof, an upwardly and outwardly slanting connecting portion forming an extension of said base plate portion, and a trough portion forming a continuation of said connecting'portion and lying parallel to said base plate portion, said trough portion being inscribed with mensuration indicia on its inner surface.

5. A hypodermic needle guard of relatively narrow rectangular form comprising a base plate, integrally formed side tabs projecting upwardly from opposite edges of said base plate at substantially right angles thereto, and having their free ends bent slightly toward each other and adapted to engage the hub of a conventional hypodermic needle, an integral end tab projecting upwardly from one end of said base plate substantially at right angles thereto, an integral upwardly slanting connecting portion positioned at the opposite end of said base plate, an integral trough member of substantially a V-shaped cross section connected by said connecting member to said base plate, said trough member spaced above said base plate and parallel thereto, said trough member carrying suitable mensuration scales on its inner surfaces and adapted to partially enclose the canula of a hypodermic needle.

6. A hypodermic needle guard of narrowrectangular form comprising a base plate, integrally formed side tabs projecting upwardly from opposite edges of said base plate at substantially right angles thereto and having their free ends bent slightly toward each other and adapted to engage the hub of a conventional hypodermic needle, an integrally formed end tab projecting upwardly from one end of said base plate sub,- stantially at right angles thereto and having a narrowed neck portion adjacent said base plate, an integrally formed upwardly and outwardly slanting connecting portion positioned at the opposite end of said base plate and forming an obtuse angle therewith, an integrally formed trough member of substantially V-shaped cross section joined by said connecting portion to said base plate, and spaced upwardly, outwardly and parallel to said base plate, and adapted to partially enclose the canula of a hypodermic needle.

LOGAN EISELE. 

